Man arrested while attempting armed robbery of Swansea Jack in the Box on Easter

A suspect is in custody after allegedly attempting an armed robbery of the Swansea Jack in the Box on Easter morning.

Police received a call from an employee about 7:15 a.m. while the armed man was in the restaurant, located at 1800 N. Illinois St., Deputy Chief Craig Coughlin said.

Swansea police surrounded the restaurant, with Belleville police responding for assistance. Coughlin estimated the suspect was taken into custody without incident before 8 a.m.

“He didn’t leave the premises,” Coughlin said. “We apprehended him while he was still at the restaurant.”

Police say the man was armed with a pistol, but that no one was injured. Employees were able to exit the restaurant when the suspect was in a different area, Coughlin said.

“The important thing is that we do have him in custody and no one was injured,” he said.

The restaurant was closed briefly following the incident. A sign was posted in the drive-thru stating, “Closed due to robbery will reopen as soon as we get set up. Thank you.”

A Swansea police detective on Sunday interviewed the suspect, whose identity was not released because formal charges have not been issued. Meanwhile, Illinois State Police processed evidence at the scene. The suspect’s vehicle was secured from the Jack in the Box parking lot.

Swansea Police Chief Steve Johnson asked that residents keep officers “in your thoughts on this holiday.”

“On this Easter morning when many people are hiding eggs or getting ready to spend time with their families, police officers are out there risking their lives against an armed robber to help keep each of you safe,” Johnson said.

This story was originally published March 27, 2016 at 9:42 AM with the headline "Man arrested while attempting armed robbery of Swansea Jack in the Box on Easter."